A Broken Family
by Sarahara
Summary: One of the host club members is put in the hospital after a horrific fight! Will he be able to pull through? And how will this disaster affect the Host Club's King? Complete!
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

_Bump bump…_

The lights surrounding him were bright, almost blinding.

_Bump bump…_

He squeezed his eyes shut, unable to fathom where he was or why he was there.

_Bump…bump…_

He could hear voices coming from all directions…voices he didn't recognize.

_Bump…..bump…_

"Doctor, he's unstable, we have to get him to the Emergency room!"

_Bump…._

'Emergency room…?'

_Blackout._


	2. Raindrops and Teacups

**Earlier that day…**

It was another typical day at the Ouran High School Host Club. Tamaki was blinding the ladies with both his charm and those malevolent lights that seemed to surround him during his more dramatic displays of passion. The Hitachiin twins were falling in love all over again, as they considered their more passionate moments, recounting the tales for the young, and drooling, women around them, all the while pulling each other closer and closer in an overdramatic embrace. There were squeals of joy and triumph from the girls as the twins' lips brushed, ever so slightly, past one another.

Kyoya looked over to Haruhi, counting the number of fans surrounding her. She really was a natural at hosting.

_At this rate she'll have more fans than Tamaki_

Kyoya suppressed a chuckle at the thought of the King's reaction to his only daughter, the only girl in the Host Club, getting more girls than he.

He broke from his thoughts to look over at the last of the Hosts. A small blond was sitting in one of the velvet cushioned chairs, his face covered with icing as he shoveled the cake into his already-over-filled-mouth. The girls sitting with him watched in awe as the tall boy sitting next to the blond reached over and wiped the mess off his face.

"Mitsukuni…you've made a mess," Mori said, his face remaining stoic and calm as he wiped his cousin's face with a handkerchief he had pulled from his pocket.

Hani merely giggled as he felt Mori's strong hands cup his face, cleaning it off with the delicacy of a mother washing a child. The girls around them continued with their "ooo's" and "awww's" as Mori continued to clean off his cousin's childish face.

Kyoya continued to watch them, thoughtfully, until a loud, sharp clamor brought him back to reality.

"_Mooommyyyyy!_"

Kyoya sighed as he looked over to see Tamaki and the twins surrounded by broken China pieces and spilt tea.

"Yes, Daddy dearest?" Kyoya said, smirking slightly at the sight before him. Tamaki had the twins in a death grip, his long, slender fingers clamped onto the collars of their previously unwrinkled uniforms. The twins, being the Little Devils that they were, could not stifle the giggles of glee that leaked through their fingers as they tried, in vain, to hold back their laughter by covering their mouths with their hands.

"Mommy, look at what these horrible twins have done!" Tamaki said, looking close to tears as he shook the little devils slightly.

"It wasn't our fault, Boss," one of the twins, presumably Kaoru, said in earnest. "We were just trying to show Haruhi a trick we just made up!"

"Yeah, Boss, it would have been fine if you hadn't jumped in," the other twin, Hikaru, said defensively.

Kyoya sighed. This would be yet another problem that he would have to fix at his own expense.

_Father won't be pleased with this…_ Kyoya thought with a sigh.

After a long battle with the twins and Tamaki as to who should clean up what, the broken China was finally picked up and the tea mopped away. Kyoya sighed again, pushing his glasses further up his nose. It's amazing the club has been able to last for so long with an imbecile like the Tamaki running it. He continued typing on his laptop, watching as the numbers seemed to grow larger and larger the further down the page he got.

Kyoya scowled and wrenched the glasses off his face. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to get rid of the headache that had decided to make its presence known.

_Honestly, how much cake does the kid need?_ He thought angrily. _One would think he would have learned his lesson after that cavity._

Putting his glasses back on his face, Kyoya became aware of the presence behind him. He felt Tamaki's long, slender arms wrap loosely around his neck. Tamaki's arms dangled lazily around the raven-haired boy's neck, gently pulling him closer so that his nose was nuzzling gently behind Kyoya's ear. Kyoya forced himself to keep a straight face, suppressing a light blush that threatened to break out across his face.

Sighing, Kyoya turned his head slightly asking, "What do you want, Tamaki? I'm very busy at the moment." The words came out harsher than Kyoya meant, but the blond didn't seem fazed by it in the least.

"Mon ami, you work too hard," Tamaki said gently. Kyoya shuddered slightly, cursing himself for falling for the tall boy's charm. "Why don't you take a break and come drink some commoner's coffee with us? Haruhi bought a different flavor this time!" Kyoya could feel Tamaki smile against his ear, though he couldn't tell if it was because of the coffee or the girl who so graciously brought the stuff into the club in the first place.

Standing slowly, the raven haired boy turned to look Tamaki in the face. His dark, charcoal eyes hidden slightly by his even darker hair were screaming to Tamaki.

_Why, yes! Coffee sounds absolutely delightful, Tamaki!_

But of course, Kyoya turned him down. Muttering something about a very important test to study for, Kyoya gathered his things and stalked towards the door, ignoring the seemingly heartbroken look in Tamaki's eyes.

As he made his way down to long corridors of Ouran Academy, Kyoya couldn't help but rethink his decision. A simple coffee break wouldn't have been too bad, right? Kyoya shook the thought from his head, pulling his cell phone from his pocket as he called for his limo to pick him up in front of the school.

Passing through the large oak doors that lead to the outside, Kyoya felt a slight gust of wind hit him, tearing through his clothes and sending a shiver down his spine. He looked up as a raindrop fell, landing on the lens of his glasses. A slight smile graced Kyoya's tired face. He always preferred the rain. The quiet _pitter-patter_ of the drops against his window was always a comforting sound. Unfortunately, it would take a lot more than rain to help Kyoya that night.

_To be continued. _


	3. Daddy Dearest

As the car drove along the wet roads, Kyoya watched the rain fall onto his window. He sighed contently, reveling in the silence that engulfed him. It wasn't often that he was able to have time to himself. His mind began to wander, as it so often did in times of complete silence, to the Host Club. He didn't think about the cost of Hani's sweets, or of the upcoming events he had to plan, or even the profits that were sure to come spilling in. He thought of the twins and their games, of Haruhi and her quiet intelligence, of Mori's shadow-like stolidity and Hani's innocence as he took his afternoon nap or ate his cake.

Yet none of his friends intruded upon his thoughts more than Tamaki. Kyoya thought of his beautiful blond hair and how it seemed to shine in even the dullest light. He thought of his cool, blue eyes that were so full of passion they seemed to almost overflow with it. He would imagine Tamaki's beautiful ivory skin, how smooth his face looked and how soft those hands were when they unknowingly caressed Kyoya's skin. Yet, more than anything, Kyoya thought of his smile. That dazzling smile that seemed to outshine even the brightest stars.

Kyoya entertained his thoughts, a small smile on his face, until he felt the car roll to a stop outside his sprawling mansion. He made sure to compose his face, a quiet, cold look masking his eyes as the driver opened the door for him. He heard the front doors open as he made his way up the front stairs. Looking up, he saw a young woman standing in the doorway.

"Young master Ootori, your father would like to speak with you," she said, a sad smile creeping onto her flawless face. Even the maids knew of Kyoya's…problem with his father.

"Very well then," he sighed, nodding slightly as he took off his shoes and handed the maid his things. Her hands were shaking slightly, but Kyoya pretended not to notice as he made his way to his father's study. He began the long walk down one of the many corridors in the Ootori mansion, listening to his socks rub against the velvet rug with each step. His mind wandered yet again to the Host Club, picturing Tamaki with his hand around Haruhi as they sipped their commoner's coffee. The image made him shudder.

Kyoya straightened his back as he reached his father's door. Standing in front of the double doors, he began rubbing out the creases in his uniform, straightening his tie and fixing his hair, making sure he was as close to perfection as he could get. His father was very meticulous about that sort of thing.

When he entered the grand room, he found his father sitting in a large leather chair in front of a roaring fire. He was sitting back in the chair, his legs crossed, with his chin resting on his intertwined fingers. He stood without a word and went to sit behind his desk, motioning that Kyoya do the same. The youngest Ootori walked forward, slowly, and sat in the chair his father had pointed out to him. They stared across the desk at each other, the sound of the fire crackling filling the room as raindrops fell against the windows that covered the wall behind Kyoya's father. Finally Kyoya broke the silence.

"You wanted to speak with me, sir?" Kyoya asked, keeping his eyes locked on his father.

His father growled.

"Don't play dumb with me, boy," he said, anger reverberating in every syllable that he spoke.

Kyoya merely stared at him, his face keeping the same calm, stoic expression that was there when he first entered the room.

"I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean."

His father stared at him intently. Standing slowing, he made his way around the desk, arms crossed behind his back as if he had all the time in the world. Kyoya followed him with his eyes, never once letting his father out of his sight. The man stopped short of Kyoya's chair, bending down and getting dangerously close to his youngest son's face. Kyoya could smell the alcohol on his father's breath as he leaned in so close that their noses were touching. Then, without warning, Kyoya felt the hot stinging sensation he had become so closely acquainted with. The blow knocked Kyoya's glasses off and they flew to the carpet.

Kyoya turned to look at his father, but was met with an even harder blow to his right cheek.

"Don't look at me!" his father yelled, spit flying as he shook with anger. "You disgust me." He whispered, venom dripping from every word.

Kyoya slowly stood, keeping his eyes down, and stooped to where his glasses had flown to the floor.

Carefully sliding them onto his face, Kyoya turned to his father. "Will that be all?" he asked, keeping his voice calm, almost bored sounding.

At this, his father lunged, throwing Kyoya against one of the many bookshelves lining the walls of his study. Kyoya saw stars for a moment as his head collided with the hard binding of the books. He looked at his father, whose hands were clenched around his son's uniform collar. Kyoya couldn't help but think of a similar scene that happened earlier between Tamaki and the twins, a small smile creeping onto his lips at the thought.

"What the hell is so funny?" his father screamed, shaking Kyoya violently.

Kyoya kept his mouth shut, knowing very well that nothing he said could dissuade his father from further harming him. As his father continued to stare at Kyoya, his eyes boring holes into the boy's face, he let out a frustrated growl and threw Kyoya to the floor.

"Answer me when I'm talking to you, damn it!"

Kyoya slowly pushed himself up on his side, making sure to avoid eye contact with his father. Unable to hold back his fury any longer, the man stood over Kyoya and kicked the boy in his stomach. Kyoya let out a groan of pain, clenching his stomach.

"Shut up!" his father screeched, planting another kick in his son's groin.

Kyoya was unable to hold it in. He found himself on all fours, puking up just about everything he had eaten that day. He began dry hacking, the pain refusing to subside. The boy fell on his side, fighting back tears as he wrapped his arms around himself. His father looked down at the boy writhing on the ground.

"Pathetic," he muttered, leaving the boy on the floor.

As the door closed, Kyoya felt himself lose control. He began gasping for the air that had been knocked out of him with the first kick. He found himself unable to stand as pain shot through his stomach, chest, ribs, and groin. Kyoya fell to the ground in a heap, his raven hair sticking to his forehead as tears formed in his eyes, his lungs still gasping for air.

After what seemed like hours, the boy was able to fall into a deep, dreamless sleep.

_To be continued._


	4. The Morning After edited

It was a quiet morning in the Ootori mansion, the cold outside working to penetrate the white stone walls of the towering house. The windows were tinted with an early morning frost and the grass glistened as dew drops fell from grace, hitting the ground softly, only to be sucked up by the greedy soil. Inside the residence a dying fire crackled and sang its last song before going out completely, leaving the room cold and quiet.

The boy lying on the floor shuddered against the cold. Kyoya Ootori's eyes shot open and he bolted up, only to be thrown back to the floor by the paralyzing pain that surged through every muscle, bone, and nerve in his body.

"_Nnngh_" he groaned, leaning his head forward and resting them on his forearm as the memories of last night's events shot through his mind. As he slowly sat up, Kyoya looked around him crinkling his nose as he smelled something rancid. Looking down, he saw he had fallen asleep dangerously close to where he had puked earlier that night.

_Ugh. What a mess…and to think none of the maids had the mind to clean it up_, he thought, disgusted at the feeling of crusted vomit sticking to the ends of his hair.

The fact that nobody had even bothered to check in on him crossed his mind, but he pushed the thought to the very furthest recesses of his mind.

The youngest Ootori stood slowly, placing a hand on the bookshelf to balance himself. He made his way, slowly, to the hallway, holding a hand to his head to try and ease the pain. When he finally made it to the staircase, Kyoya was already panting, his body shaking due to the cold sweat that had broken out. His sore body could hardly move, much less climb stairs, but still he pushed on. Grasping the polished wood banister for support, he made his way up the stairs ever so slowly.

By the time Kyoya made it to his room he was dripping with sweat. Exhausted from the effort, the raven haired boy rested his body against the door frame, breathing deeply. Picking up the uniform that had been folded on his desk, Kyoya made his way to the bathroom. He really needed a shower.

After turning the water on as hot as it would go, Kyoya slowly undressed, going to extreme lengths to protect his already bruised body. After taking a painstakingly long time to remove his jacket, shirt and tie, Kyoya began the painful act of removing his pants and boxers. This proved to be even more troublesome since removing these particular garments required him to bend over, awaking an even more pronounced pain that had been sleeping within him.

When all articles of clothing were finally strewn on the bathroom's cold marble floor, Kyoya took the time to gaze at his reflection. The bruises stood out plain as day against his ivory skin. His stomach and ribs were a dazzling purple color, and his groin area fared no better. His testicles were swollen and purple from the kick he had received the night before. Kyoya shuddered as the events flooded his mind again.

Pushing the thoughts aside, Kyoya stepped carefully into the shower. The hot water did wonders for his battered body. He could feel his muscles relax as he stood beneath the drizzling showerhead, glad to have the moment himself. While shampooing his hair, Kyoya began thinking up different excuses for his bruises. He knew nobody would see them, but it was better to be safe than sorry. As ideas ran through his head, Kyoya heard a knock on the door.

"Come in," he attempted to shout, only to have his throat constrict, still sore from last night's sickness.

A maid walked in. The same maid that had greeted Kyoya at the door the day before. She didn't speak a word, but placed a small glass bottle on the bathroom counter. Kyoya made sure he heard the lock click before stepping out of the shower, towel tied loosely around his waist. He picked up the bottle, though he already knew what it would be.

Kyoya sighed as he stared at the concealer. It was bad enough he had a bruised outside, did they really have to hurt his pride too?

Kyoya ran a hand across the fogged up mirror, a slight gasp escaping his lips. His cheeks were surprisingly swollen and a deep bruise had formed beneath Kyoya's right eye. It would take a lot of concealer to hide this one.

Making his way down the hall way, his towel still wrapped around his waist, Kyoya ran into his sister. He could see her body stiffen at the sight of her bruised and limping brother, feel her sad eyes boring into his back as he made his way slowly to his room.

"Kyoya…" she began, her eyes roaming over his bruised and swollen face.

"Don't."

"But I…"

"Just don't!" he almost yelled. He didn't want her pity. He didn't need it.

Kyoya watched as his sister's eyes filled with tears. She turned and made her way down the hall to her own room, stifling her cries as she rushed in the opposite direction. Turning his back on her, Kyoya returned to his room.

Having already put on his shirt and jacket in the bathroom, Kyoya began the painstaking process of pulling on his pants and boxers. Muffled groans broke through his thin lips as he bent down to pull up his pants. Tears threatened to fall from the pain, but Kyoya kept them at bay.

After he was fully dressed, Kyoya began to apply the concealer to the bruises under his eye, wincing slightly as he caked the area with the makeup. Kyoya applied layer upon layer, but sighed in defeat. The bruise refused to stay hidden. Giving up completely, he set the bottle down on his desk. The boy began racking his brains yet again for a good enough excuse as to where the bruise had come from, eventually deciding on one that just about everyone should believe. He would say he was having a nightmare and accidentally punched himself at some point in the night. Of course he knew a certain blond would never believe this. Kyoya found himself thinking back to the time Tamaki had stayed the night at his home. That morning the beautiful boy had commented on how still Kyoya was when he slept.

Kyoya was shaken from his thought by a knock at his door.

"Come in" he called for the second time that morning.

A maid entered.

"Young master, the limo is ready for you," she said, keeping her eyes low and avoiding Kyoya completely.

A smirk pulled at the corners of the boy's mouth.

_Pathetic, _he thought bitterly.

Kyoya groaned as he bent down to pick up his school bag.

It was going to be a long day.

_To be continued._


	5. Those Eyes

Kyoya sighed as walked through the halls of Ouran Academy. He could feel peoples' eyes staring at him, staring at his bruises. He tried his best to walk without limping, but the screaming pain in his groin brought tears to the very brim of his eyes. Finally Kyoya gave up on the attempt and limped his way to his classes.

As the day continued, Kyoya was finding it harder and harder to walk without panting or breaking out in a sweat. The pain was unbearable. When the final bell rang, Kyoya gave a silent prayer of thanks. All he had left was the Host Club, then he'd be home free.

Kyoya was late to the club, but he wasn't the last one there. After silently setting up his laptop at the table in the corner, Kyoya looked up to see his fellow Hosts staring at him intently. The twins had been carrying a couch to the center of the room, but stopped when they saw the Shadow King's swollen face. Haruhi looked up from a book she was reading, and even Hani had stopped shoveling food into his mouth.

"Sempai…" Haruhi began.

"Yes, Haruhi?" Kyoya asked innocently, keeping his cold eyes on his laptop as he began typing in the day's plans and numbers.

"What…happened?"

Just as Kyoya was about to feed Haruhi the excuse he had come up with that morning, a loud din interrupted him.

"Mon am_iiiiiiiiiiiiiii_!" Tamaki sang as he burst through the Host Club's doors. He bounded to Kyoya, throwing his arms around the boy's frail body. Kyoya winced, a gasp of pain escaping his lips as Tamaki squeezed his body even closer to his own.

_Damn it all!_ Kyoya thought, mentally cursing his weakness. Tamaki began slowly releasing his friend, a concerned look on his face.

"Kyoya? What's wrong?" Tamaki asked, concern etched in every word that left his deliciously pink lips.

"It's nothing Tamaki, I just slept wrong," Kyoya said, keeping his back to his worried friend.

"But Kyoyaaaaaa," Tamaki whined.

Kyoya sighed, turning to look at the princely boy. Tamaki let out an audible gasp when he saw his friend's bruised face, his beautiful blue eyes growing wide. Kyoya watched as Tamaki's bright blond hair cast a deep shadow over his face as he lowered his head.

"Kyoya…"

"It's nothing, Tamaki," Kyoya hissed again. The last thing he needed was Tamaki losing sleep over him.

Tamaki pulled the raven haired boy close, gently embracing his bruised body. Kyoya blushed slightly as Tamaki whispered gently into his ear.

"We'll talk later," he said softly.

Kyoya nodded into his chest. When he finally pulled away, Kyoya's face was serine and stoic. He turned to the rest of the Hosts, slightly taken back by the fact that nobody had moved from their spot.

"Well? Get back to work," he ordered, taking control of the situation once again.

Everyone released the breath they had apparently been holding and finished setting up the room.

The guests began arriving, some in groups and some alone. There were even a few new faces. However these new faces were anything but welcome. They were constantly bombarding Kyoya with questions about his bruises. No matter how many times Kyoya gave his excuse, he was continuously buried in their questions. Tamaki and the other Hosts tried their best to distract the guests, but in the end they would always run back to Kyoya with new and more disturbing theories and questions.

Finally, Tamaki had had enough. Trying his best to remain in character, the King of the Host Club gave a dramatic speech as to why the girls would have to leave early, apologizing profusely for the sudden…change of plans.

At his signal, Mori and the twins began ushering the girls out the doors, sometimes having to carry the more stubborn ones. Finally the music room was calm, quiet, and empty.

Kaoru and Hikaru collapsed dramatically on the velvet couch, completely worn out from having to carry so many girls. Tamaki glanced tiredly around the room before dismissing the Hosts for the day. Everyone turned to Kyoya, who was still sitting in the chair he had been in throughout most of the club. His chin was resting on his laced fingers, looking quite bored with the situation.

"Well?" he asked. "You heard His Highness."

Slowly, with stubborn movements, the club members said their goodbyes, each throwing a nervous glance in Kyoya's direction as they passed through the double doors.

Kyoya sighed, standing up slowly as he began to pack his things. He felt Tamaki's gaze on him, but chose to ignore it for the time being.

As Kyoya made his way towards the door, Tamaki stepped in front of him, blocking his way.

Kyoya sighed again. Pushing his glasses further up his nose, Kyoya turned his charcoal eyes on the blond, but quickly turned away when he saw the look on Tamaki's face. It wasn't sympathy or concern that resided there. It could only be described as sadness. Sadness in its purest form.

_Damn that Tamaki_

"Kyoya, what happened?" Tamaki asked quietly, his voice echoing the sadness that lied deep within his eyes.

Kyoya took a step back, locking his eyes with Tamaki's.

"Haven't you been listening? I've already explained it several ti-"

"No!" Tamaki shouted, his cry echoing throughout the vast, empty room. "I don't want you to lie to me Kyoya, I want the truth."

Kyoya glared at the blond, looking him up and down, contemplating his options.

"It's the truth." Kyoya said plainly.

Tamaki let out a cry of frustration.

"Kyoya! This is me you're talking to! It's _me_! How could you lie to me like this?" Tamaki's eyes filled with tears as he threw his arms around his friend, ignoring the muffled groan that escaped Kyoya's lips. Tamaki buried his face in the boy's neck, tears rolling gracefully down his beautifully pink cheeks.

Finally Tamaki pulled away. Leaning his forehead against Kyoya's he whispered something that made Kyoya's heart skip a beat.

"Come home with me tonight, mon ami. Daddy will make everything all right."

Kyoya stumbled backwards, looking deep into Tamaki's eyes.

"W..what did you say?"

"Come home with me tonight, mon ami!" Tamaki said, a smile gracing his beautiful face.

"Why should I?" Kyoya asked, building up his defenses again.

"Because I want you to." Tamaki said simply.

Kyoya stared at Tamki, mouth slightly agape. It wasn't like Tamaki to be so straight forward.

Before Kyoya could answer, Tamaki had his finger laced with his own, pulling Kyoya out the door of the abandoned music room.

As the two boys climbed into the limosine, Kyoya contemplated calling his father. He wouldn't want to worry him.

The Shadow King chuckled darkly at the thought. _His_ father worried about _him_? The thought was almost absurd. No, tonight he would forget his father. He would forget the tell-tale bruises tarnishing his pales skin. Most of all he would forget the pain. Tonight was his night, and he wasn't going to ruin it with his silly uncertainties.

He looked up at his beautiful friend and smiled softly to himself. Yes, tonight was going to be a good night.

_To be continued._


	6. Twilight edited

Tamaki sighed as the limo pulled up to the front of his house. The ride had been a quiet one. Kyoya hadn't been in the mood to answer Tamaki's questions, so eventually he just quit asking. He stared at Kyoya intently, wondering what he was hiding behind to beautiful grey eyes.

Kyoya was shaken from his thoughts as the driver opened the door to the limo, holding out a hand to help the struggling boy from the car. Tamaki watched as Kyoya panted slightly, surprised that such a small operation could steal so much energy from his dark haired companion.

The two boys made their way up the front steps, stopping periodically to allow Kyoya time to catch his breath. As the front doors swung open, Kyoya straightened up and put on a calm face, concealing his pain almost completely. Tamaki was impressed, in spite of himself.

Leading the way to his room, Tamaki told Kyoya that his father and grandmother were both on a business trip. Apparently one of his father's business partners dropped the ball in a very important interview and it was up to Tamaki's father to fix the situation. Kyoya detected a hint of bitterness in Tamaki's voice, so he quickly changed the topic.

"So did I miss anything after I left the club yesterday?"

Tamaki's eyes lit up as he recalled the coffee he had shared with friends the afternoon before.

"Ah! It was so much fun, Kyoya! The twins showed us that trick they had tried to do earlier, and it was actually very interesting the way they did it. See, they both stood facing each other with a cup of tea in their right hand…"

Kyoya found himself staring at the boy's mouth, but hardly listening to the words that flowed out. A slight blush crept across Kyoya's bruised cheeks as he thought about how those soft lips would feel against his own…

"…llo? Kyoya? Kyooooya?"

Kyoya shook his head, staring at the blond in surprise. Tamaki smiled softly, announcing that they had just reached his room. Kyoya watched as Tamaki's slender hands pulled a key from his pocket and unlocked the door.

After throwing their things onto Tamaki's bead, the two boys made their way to the kitchen. The cook regarded Kyoya curiously, but looked happy enough to take their orders.

Tamaki lead Kyoya to his vast dining room, smiling up at the glittering chandelier that hung in the center of the tall ceiling. Suddenly, Tamaki's demeanor changed as he turned to Kyoya excitedly.

"Kyoya, I have a great idea! Let's eat outside!" Tamaki said, acting as if this was some sort of astounding idea that only he had.

Kyoya pushed his glasses up his nose, smiling to himself.

"Why on earth would we do that?"

Tamaki pulled him towards the arched windows on the opposite side of the room, pointing up to the slowly darkening sky. Kyoya looked to where he was pointing and gasped in spite of himself. It was beautiful. The sky was at that point of twilight where it seemed as though it couldn't decide between the sparkling stars or the beautiful colors of the sunset. The two spectrums clashed together in an ongoing battle that was both beautiful and awe inspiring.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Tamaki asked, enchanted by the sight.

Kyoya jumped slightly, having completely forgotten the boy standing next to him. Kyoya's eyes stared gently at his friend's smiling face, unable to decide which was more beautiful, Tamaki or the twilight?

Before he could answer, Tamaki was pulling Kyoya out the back door and onto the garden patio. The aroma was intoxicating. Kyoya could smell the sweet perfume of honeysuckle as it collided with the overpowering smell of the roses with just a lingering scent of baby's breath. The Shadow King sighed contentedly, turning to see his friend smiling softly at him. A blush crept onto his face as he realized how badly he had let his guard down.

_How does he _do_ that?_ Kyoya wondered. It seemed that whenever Tamaki was around, Kyoya's walls simply crumbled around him. Tamaki was probably the only person that had ever seen Kyoya's real smile, heard his real laugh…

Kyoya's thoughts were interrupted once again by Tamaki's gentle voice.

"So Kyoya, what should we do tomorrow?"

Kyoya regarded his friend with slight confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"Well tomorrow's Saturday isn't it?" Tamaki asked, cocking his head slightly.

"Hm. So it is…"

The boy's continued their talk quietly until their food arrived. They ate in silence, returning to Tamaki's room when they had eaten their fill. The boys continued their small talk as they changed into their pajamas, Tamaki allowing Kyoya to borrow a pair of his sleeping pants since he didn't have any himself. The boys sat in silence for a few moments, the tension growing between them.

Finally, Kyoya couldn't stand it anymore.

"Tamaki, why exactly did you invite me over?"

Tamaki looked up at him innocently. The boy had been sitting on the floor, legs crossed delicately in front of him. Kyoya sat on Tamaki's large, silk laden bed, patiently awaiting his answer.

Tamaki smiled softly.

"Isn't it obvious?" he asked quietly.

Kyoya remained silent, waiting for an explanation.

Tamaki sighed, standing up and slowly made his way to the dark haired boy. Kyoya kept his eyes locked with Tamaki's, his serine face hiding his inner turmoil.

_What the hell is he doing?_

"Kyoya…" Tamaki said gently, slowly reaching out towards his friend's shirt. Kyoya had refused to take off his shirt in front of Tamaki, setting the blond on edge. He knew whatever Kyoya was hiding was underneath his shirt.

Tamaki began to slowly unbutton Kyoya's shirt, never tearing his eyes from the boy's steely gaze. Kyoya flinched as Tamaki's hand passed over his chest. He grabbed Tamaki's hand, squeezing it gently.

"Don't..." Kyoya said. His voice was quiet, but full of venom. He knew what Tamaki was trying to do.

Tamaki looked down at his friend, pressing himself closer to the bedside where Kyoya sat. Kyoya's eyes widened as an audible gasp escaped his lips. Tamaki pressed his forehead against his friend's, his sad eyes pleading quietly.

Finally, Kyoya couldn't stand it anymore. He released Tamaki's hand and looked away, blushing slightly, as Tamaki slowly unbuttoned Kyoya's shirt.

When his shirt was opened, Kyoya felt Tamaki's body tense. The blond stepped back, his gentle hands silencing a gasp that threatened to escape those perfect lips. Tamaki's eyes widened as he took in what he saw.

As the day had dragged on, Kyoya's bruises had gotten worse. The once purple marks blemishing his pale skin were now a deep, dark, almost black color that seemed to consume every inch of the boy's stomach. The tight flesh around Kyoya's ribs had become even more swollen than his face.

"Kyoya…" Tamaki said quietly.

Kyoya scoffed, hanging his head. He should have known better than to show Tamaki his bruises. He was sure his friend would over react in some shape or form. Kyoya waited for it, some kind of outburst or cry.

But it never came.

Kyoya looked up to find Tamaki mere inches from his face.

"Tamaki," Kyoya began, but he was cut off but Tamaki's embrace. Kyoya sat there, numb, as Tamaki buried his face into the boy's dark hair. He could hear Tamaki's silent sobs, feel the tears fall into his hair. Kyoya smiled softly, pushing Tamaki away gently.

"Your father…"

Kyoya averted his eyes.

Tamaki had his answer. The boy cupped Kyoya's face in his hands, lifting his friend's face up so their eyes met.

"Kyoya…why didn't you tell me?"

Tamaki's eyes were so full of sadness that Kyoya could hardly look at him. He attempted to pull his face away, but that just upset Tamaki more.

"Look at me Kyoya! How could…why did he…" Tamaki seemed at a loss for words. So instead he planted a kiss gently on Kyoya's forehead. Kyoya blushed slightly as he watched Tamaki's face flush. Tamaki gripped Kyoya's face more sternly as the Shadow King lifted his hands to grip Tamaki's forearms. The boys stared at each other in silence until Tamaki broke the silence yet again.

"Kyoya. You. Have. To. Tell. Me." Tamaki said, planting light kisses on Kyoya's face with each word.

Kyoya winced slightly as Tamaki kissed the bruises under his eye, but smiled nonetheless.

"I'm sorry Tamaki," he said quietly. And he meant it. Kyoya rarely apologized, and when he did he rarely meant it. But this time he did. He never wanted to see this…this sadness in Tamaki. He hated himself for causing it.

Tamaki smiled at Kyoya.

"Don't apologize," he said softly. "I just want you to know that you can talk to me. About anything. Mon ami, that's what friends are for," the blond said, placing one last kiss on Kyoya's lips.

Kyoya's eyes widened. He and Tamaki looked at each other, hands still gripping the tall boy's forearms. Kyoya watched as Tamaki bent lower and planted another kiss on his lips, this one lasting longer than the last.

"Tamaki…" he sighed, unable to stand it any longer.

Kyoya pulled Tamaki forward so that his arms were resting on the bed on each side of him. Kyoya gently cupped his friend's face in his hands, planting a kiss on the boy's soft lips. They tasted exactly like he imagined.

Tamaki sighed softly, pulling away from the kiss just long enough to gently push the blushing boy beneath him further onto the bed. A light gasp escaped Kyoya's lips pain flared through his stomach and groin. Tamaki looked down at him, pausing for a moment to give his friend a concerned look. Kyoya smiled softly, closing his eyes and nodding to the blond above him.

Kyoya was now lying on his back with Tamaki on all fours above him. They stared at each other intently, their eyes screaming different emotions from lust to desperation. And maybe even…love?

Kyoya wrapped his arms around Tamaki's neck, pulling him close. He could feel Tamaki's hot breath against his cheeks, sending shivers up and down his spine. Tamaki blushed as he closed the distance between them with a gentle kiss. Kyoya wanted more. His tongue gently prodded Tamaki's lips, begging for entrance. Shyly, the boy opened his mouth, allowing Kyoya's warm tongue to explore his mouth. Their tongues danced together, neither fighting for dominance, but working together to bring the boys closer.

Finally Tamaki pulled away, panting slightly. He looked down at the raven haired boy beneath him, smiling gently.

After a few more moments of passionate kissing, Tamaki helped Kyoya under the blankets, wrapping his arms gently around the boy. Kyoya smiled, ignoring his body's many complaints, as he pressed his face into the crook of Tamaki's arm. He had never felt as safe as he did then.

Kyoya's limbs mingled gently with Tamaki, their hair splayed out onto the pillow with their fingers laced gently beneath Kyoya's chin. It became impossible to tell which limb belonged to which boy as they mingled together like the beautiful twilight sky they had beheld together.

_To be continued._


	7. Foreshadowing

Kyoya shook and shuddered, sweat shining in his hair and on his face. He kicked and thrashed, twisting his body in every which way in a futile attempt to escape the dark, ominous figure looming over him. Kyoya screamed as the figure consumed him, a sharp pain coursing through his body as blood spilled from every conceivable part of him.

The boy woke with a start, eyes wide and brimming with tears. He looked up to find Tamaki on all fours above him, hands clasped tightly on his shoulders. Kyoya looked around, slightly confused as he reached up to wipe the tears from his eyes. Had he been crying?

"Kyoya! Ky. Oh. Ya!" Tamaki yelled, pushing down on Kyoya's shoulders with each syllable of his name.

Finally realizing where he was, Kyoya attempted to sit up, finding it much easier to move that the previous day. The boy became aware of Tamaki's penetrating gaze as he reached for his glasses resting on the windowsill.

After taking a moment to compose himself, Kyoya looked casually at Tamaki.

"Is something the matter?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Tamaki could hardly believe his ears. Did Kyoya not realize what a fit he had just thrown? Could he not feel the sweat that stuck that beautiful raven hair to his forehead? And his eyes! Could the boy sitting so casually in front of him not remember the tears he had only so recently wiped from his only newly calmed eyes?

_No_, Tamaki thought. _He knows. I know he does._

He was hiding it. And he was doing a damn good job of it too.

Tamaki's eyes remained locked on the boy's serine face. He wasn't falling for Kyoya's little act.

"You know what's wrong…" Tamaki muttered, lowering his eyes.

Kyoya cocked his head slightly, giving Tamaki the same blank stare.

"I'm afraid I don't understand."

"Don't give me that!" Tamaki snapped, glaring dangerously at Kyoya. "You and I both know you understand, so quit playing dumb," he said, shaking slightly as he fought to control the level of his voice.

Kyoya sighed. He knew he couldn't lie to his friend, his closest companion. Tamaki had always been able to see through his charade.

"It was just a nightmare, Tamaki, nothing to get so worked up over," Kyoya said evenly, looking out the window. There was a full moon that night, and God was it lovely.

"A…a nightmare?" Tamaki questioned. It was his turn to be confused.

"Yes, Tamaki, a nightmare. Haven't you ever had one?"

Tamaki nodded slightly. Of course he'd had nightmares before. Who hasn't? But none of Tamaki's nightmares had left him crying out in his sleep or thrashing out at invisible fiends and villains in the night.

Kyoya looked at his friend closely, staring intently at Tamaki's clear blue eyes, watching as they clouded over with thought. Whatever Tamaki was thinking of was leaving him positively baffled.

"Well…" Tamaki began. "What was it about?"

Kyoya's body stiffened as he came to a sudden realization. He couldn't remember.

The Shadow King had never been one to dream often, and even when he did he could always recall them quite clearly. His inability to recall this particular dream, one that had apparently left him in tears, struck Kyoya as almost terrifying.

Chuckling slightly, Kyoya turned his head back towards Tamaki.

"Ya know…I really don't remember," he said with a smile. "It must not have been too important…"

Tamaki watched as his friend left his thoughts unfinished. With a heavy sigh, Tamaki dropped the subject. He was tired, and continuing to pressure his friend to talk would get him nowhere.

Shuffling his body under the silk sheets, Tamaki turned towards the raven haired boy, still deep in thought.

"Well, when you remember, let me know," he said, letting out a yawn before rolling over. With his back facing Kyoya, Tamaki's eyes narrowed in frustration before drifting off in yet another peaceful sleep.

Kyoya watched Tamaki's shoulders rise and fall gently before settling back under the sheets himself.

Hours seemed to pass and Kyoya still couldn't sleep. It seemed almost improbable that the boy would get any more sleep that night. Kyoya sighed as he accepted the inevitable. Sitting up slowly, the boy leaned back against the soft, silk pillows, looking over at the boy sleeping quietly beside him. He really was beautiful.

Kyoya sighed contently, reveling in the silence that engulfed him. It wasn't long before his mind began to wander back to the dream he had so recently woken up from. The boy's brow furrowed as he racked his brain, trying desperately to remember the dream.

_Damn it_, he thought angrily. _Why can't I remember? Surely one should remember such a terrible dream?_

Carefully setting his glasses on the windowsill next to him, Kyoya pressed his fingers against his closed eyes. He could feel a headache coming on.

Settling back in bed, the boy's sparkling charcoal eyes looked towards the moon. He smiled softly to himself as he listened to his sleeping companion's rythmatic breathing.

Kyoya closed his eyes, arms folded behind his head and a small smile on his face. Soon he found himself falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.

_To be continued._


	8. I'm A Big Boy

Kyoya awoke for the second time that morning, his arms wrapped tightly around the blond sleeping peacefully next to him. A faint smile graced his lips as the sleeping boy stirred slightly in his sleep. Being as gentle as he could, Kyoya slid his arms from under Tamaki and sat up in the silk laden, king sized bed.

He chuckled quietly.

_A bed fit for a king…_he thought, looking down at the now quietly snoring Host king.

After pushing his glasses up his nose and sliding carefully off the bed, the still drowsy boy made a drunken path to the bathroom. Kyoya closed his eyes tight against the blinding bathroom lights, feeling his way towards the massive bathroom's counter top. He opened his eyes slowly as he felt the cool marble against his fingertips.

The Shadow King sighed heavily.

Though his body's aches and pains had quieted down, the marks from his father's last brutal attack showed just as clearly as the previous day. Kyoya ran a hand gently across his chest and down his stomach, stopping above the waistband of Tamaki's also silk sleeping pants. Though most of the swelling had gone down in his face and ribs, he could still feel the lumps and bumps that hid beneath the dark bruises.

Kyoya jumped slightly as he felt another set of hands reached around his thin body, clasping together just above his navel.

"Good morning, mon ami," Tamaki whispered, his voice cracking and still full of sleep. "Did you sleep well?"

Kyoya pulled Tamaki's hands apart and pried himself away from the blond. Tamaki swayed slightly, still not fully awake.

"More or less," Kyoya said apathetically. "Where do you keep your towels?"

Tamaki blinked as he tried to comprehend what had been asked, finally pointing towards a small closet hiding behind the door they had just entered through. Kyoya helped himself to the freshly folded linens, rubbing the Egyptian cotton gently between his finger tips. The boy made his way towards the shower, stripping his pants as he crossed the cold marble floors. Tamaki blushed slightly as he looked Kyoya up and down, his eyes resting on the crest of the thin boy's back.

The blushing blond was snapped out of his trance by Kyoya's annoyed, though slightly smug voice.

"Do you mind?" he asked, pointing to the bathroom's wide open door.

Tamaki blushed again as he turned towards the door.

It was Kyoya's turn to look. He watched as the tall boy stumbled almost gracefully to the entrance of the bathroom. His cool eyes gleamed lustfully as his eyes fell on Tamaki's perfectly rounded ass.

"Well," Tamaki said with an almost sad smile, "I'll be taking a shower down the hall. If you need anything, you know where to find me."

The bathroom door clicked behind him, leaving Kyoya staring after him.

He smiled as he felt the hot water beat against softly against him. Humming to himself, Kyoya began washing his soft raven hair with Tamaki's shampoo.

_No wonder he always smells so good_, he thought absently to himself.

He felt his fingers tighten in his tangled hair. It seemed as though even thinking of Tamaki made his breath hitch. Kyoya slowly lowered his arms, allowing them to hand loosely by his side. He suddenly felt very cold and very, very alone. What was it about Tamaki that made him feel so…so…

Kyoya couldn't remember ever really having anyone close enough to call a friend. All the people who attempted to befriend him or vice versa were merely possible business associates, people he could build his reputation off of. Becoming too close to anyone had been too much of a liability. He couldn't, no, he wouldn't allow himself to become close with those people. It could ruin everything he had worked so hard to achieve.

But then Tamaki Suoh came along and suddenly Kyoya was questioning exactly what it was he was working so hard for. Tamaki's stupid smile and broken Japanese seemed almost unbearable to Kyoya. Not to mention the boy's constantly hyper disposition. Yet it was just what he needed.

Kyoya jumped as a hard hand fell against the bathroom door.

"Kyoya? Oh, Kyooooya!"

Turning off the water, Kyoya stepped out of the shower and walked towards the door.

Tamaki stopped his hand mid-knock as his friend opened the door. His face turned a bright red when a towel clad Kyoya appeared in the door way.

Cocking an eyebrow at his now cherry red friend, Kyoya asked what it was he wanted.

"Uh," Tamaki choked, "Y-you'r father is on the phone. He doesn't sound happy…"

Kyoya watched as Tamaki's eyes became dark, almost angry at these words.

"Very well," he said, keeping his voice calm and casual. "Tell him I'll be there momentarily."

Shutting the door behind him, Kyoya leaned back and slid slowly to the floor. His whole body was shaking and a sweat had broken out against his pale face.

_Shit,_ he thought, _this can't be good._

Standing quickly, Kyoya pulled Tamaki's pajama bottoms on once more. The still-shaking young man took a moment to compose himself before opening the bathroom door. A gust of cool air met him as he made his way to his clothes that Tamaki had laid out for him. Kyoya's school uniform from the day before. As he slipped into his uniform, a note fell to the floor. Without a second thought the note was shoved back into the pocket it had fallen from as Kyoya rushed out the door and down the stairs towards the dining room.

Tamaki's worried eyes fell on Kyoya as he watched his friend watched calmly through the double doors. The seemingly calm boy paid him no mind as he casually reached for the phone that had been placed at an open chair. Breathing in deeply, Kyoya took the phone into his firm grip, resting it carefully against his ear.

"Kyoya Ootori speaking," he said, his voice dripping with quiet confidence.

"Kyoya…" the voice breathed dangerously.

Kyoya waited for a moment, staring about the grand room with a very uninterested look on his face.

"Where the hell have you been?" his father hissed.

"I spent the night at the Suoh residence. We had a very important test t-"

"I don't give a damn about any test!" the voice shouted on the other end. "I needed you here. Do you realize you missed a very important…"

Kyoya was gone. His eyes glazed over, half lidded, as he began to imagine where he would rather be, or what he would rather be doing. Kyoya knew it was dangerous to drift off while his father was talking, but he could usually play it off in the end.

Unfortunately, the youngest Ootori had pressed his luck one too many times.

"Kyoya! Kyoya, are you listening to me? Answer me, God damn it!"

The voice seemed far off, almost as if the speaker were at the bottom of a great chasm.

Kyoya jerked to his senses as Tamaki shook the boy's arm roughly. Tamaki motioned with his hand that he was still on the phone. With a very important person, too by the way.

"Yes, father I'm listening" Kyoya said quickly. Not quick enough. The line went dead and Kyoya was left standing there, attempting to explain his absence to an empty phone line.

"Well," Kyoya sighed calmly as he placed the phone back on its holster. "It seems I'm needed back home."

Tamaki remained silent. Kyoya looked down at the blond, searching for those ocean blue eyes that he loved so much. Tamaki sighed as he stood slowly, his eyes remaining hidden in the shadow of his beautiful blond hair.

Kyoya watched as his friend made his way around the table.

"I'll drive you home," the boy said quietly as he wrapped his arms tightly around Kyoya's shoulders.

"That's quite alright, Tamaki." The shorter of the two replied. "I'll call for the limo. Besides, you haven't eaten breakfast yet."

Kyoya pushed the blond back into his chair, a false smile plastered onto his calm face.

Tamaki wasn't fooled.

"No! Kyoya, please!" the boy yelled, standing so abruptly that his chair fell backwards. The loud crash brought several maids rushing into the room, but by then Kyoya had already dragged Tamaki out onto the patio.

"Now listen to me, Tamaki," Kyoya hissed. "I can manage my own affairs. I don't need you toting me around when I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

Tamaki looked upset. No…Tamaki looked pissed.

"You're not supposed to do that…" he muttered.

Kyoya cocked an eyebrow. "Do what, exactly?"

"'Manage your own affairs'. Weren't you listening to me? That's what I'm here for, mon ami!"

Tamaki reached towards a now seething Kyoya, but was brushed off with a wave of his hand.

"I'll call you tonight, Tamaki." Kyoya said evenly as he made his way towards the front of the house.

Tamaki watched sadly as his friend walk away, unable to fathom the terror that would meet Kyoya Ootori that evening.


	9. Intermission

Kyoya walked towards the shining stretch limo in front of Tamaki's house, the light from the now blaring sun glaring off his glasses as he stepped calmly; left, right, left, right,left…Kyoya counted his steps as he neared the car. It was a childish thing to do, but it calmed his nerves nonetheless.

Sighing deeply, the boy stepped into the vessel that would take him to his final destination.

Kyoya chuckled at such a dramatic thought. Honestly, his _final_ destination? It wasn't possible. His father would have to hide the body somewhere, right?

At this, Kyoya broke down, laughing hysterically at his own little joke. Leaning forward slightly with tears streaming down his face, Kyoya wrapped his arms around his sides, still laughing maniacally. Why was that so funny to him? The limousine's chauffer looked oddly at Kyoya through his rearview mirror.

"Is everything all right, Mr. Ootori?" he asked slightly concerned.

Suddenly aware of his surroundings, the no longer laughing Kyoya snapped up in his seat, straightening his back and clearing his throat before answering.

"Yes, everything's fine." He said calmly.

Kyoya spent the rest of the car ride watching the scenery pass before his clouded eyes, though nothing he saw would stick to his memory. Kyoya had drifted off again, thinking of anything and everything in an attempt to forget where he was going and what would happen when he got there.

Kyoya was still lost in thought as the limo pulled up to the front of the Ootori residence. Kyoya jumped slightly as the door opened. Having stepped calmly out of the vehicle, the youngest Ootori stood in front of the marble stairs wiping his glasses clean with a silk cloth and shaking fingers. Kyoya pushed the glasses up his nose as he made his way up the stairs, the front door seeming more and more distant with each shaking step he took.

Pausing for a moment, Kyoya inhaled deeply before finally opening the double doors.

"Hello, Kyoya." A voice sneered from inside.

_To be continued._


	10. Oh, Yoshio

"_Hello, Kyoya." A voice sneered from inside._

Kyoya's body tensed as a shiver ran down his spine. Keeping his face calm and his eyes cold, Kyoya turned to face his father as he shut the door with shaking hands. Standing with his shoulders squared against the elegantly carved front doors, the still shaking young man analyzed the scene before him.

The oldest Ootori stood slowly from where he had sat on the bottom of the marble staircase, his shoulders squared, mirroring the boy before him. Yoshio's arms crossed lazily in front of him as he slowly, leisurely, made his way across the room. The glare of light against his glasses further completed the sinister appearance as a shadow consumed the room. Neither man seemed to notice as a chill swept through the cracked windows, ruffling their identical raven hair. The air in the room felt cold, as if all the warmth had been lost against Yoshio's cold glare.

The man stopped short of his son, staring down at him. A small smirk carved through his stone face. Kyoya kept his eyes on the man in front of him as the older Ootori closed his eyes, lifting his hand and resting it thoughtfully against his son's cheek.

Yoshio sighed before opening his eyes once more.

"Kyoya," he began. The boy's body tensed. Something wasn't right. "Where were you last night? Your mother and I were worried sick about you."

Kyoya's eyes narrowed. He could hear the false compassion dripping from every word his father spoke. But there was something else. Something…hidden.

The boy remained silent as he stared coldly into his father's eyes.

Finally, Yoshio turned, sliding his fingers across his son's cheek as he began walking back towards one of the many doors that lined the walls of the vast room.

Kyoya's eyes snapped open, his heart pounding in his ears. Suddenly he understood. How could he have been so stupid? His father would never make a scene, not in such an open room. Not with maids crossing the halls carrying crisp, folded towels to and from the bathrooms. Not with the butlers walking up and down the marble stairs, tending to whatever it was that struck their fancy at the time. No, he was smarter than that.

"Well?" Kyoya's father asked as he held open the door to a dark hall. "Are you coming?"

Kyoya dropped his head and followed his father through the door and down the dark hall.

_Left, right, left, right, left, right…_

Kyoya felt the warm air consume him as he stepped over the threshold into his father's study. A fire was singing cheerfully in the fireplace, its light casting long, dark shadows against the bookshelves lining the walls.

"Close the door, Kyoya."

Kyoya watched as his father breezed past him and sat in one of the over-stuffed chairs in the center of the room. The weary boy closed the door behind him, always keeping an eye on the man sitting before him. Kyoya remained standing by the door as he waited for his father's instruction.

The silence in the room was deafening. Kyoya could hear his heart pounding as his pulse quickened with each passing moment. It wasn't like his father to keep him waiting.

"You haven't answered my question yet."

Kyoya jumped at his father's voice, standing as straight as he could before he answered. His joints groaned in response to the sudden movements. How long had he been waiting there?

"I was at the Suoh residence," he replied simply.

"And it never crossed your mind to call?"

Kyoya stood even straighter.

"There was no need to bother you with such petty details."

Yoshio chuckled darkly.

"The whereabouts of my youngest son can hardly be considered 'petty'. Especially when a representative of one of the most highly regarded universities in Japan decides to stop by for an interview."

"I-I was unaware that such a meeting had been arranged," Kyoya muttered. His façade was slipping.

The man rose slowly from his chair and strolled leisurely towards the bookshelf. Kyoya watched as his father busied himself with the books resting there, picking one up only to set it back in its original place a few seconds later. The tension was killing him.

"Your brother made the arrangement. A partner of his has a son that goes to the school, so he sent your resume to one of the chairmen. They were highly impressed and called to schedule an interview. Your mother thought it would be a nice surprise."

Kyoya could hear his father's voice began to crack and shake. It wouldn't be long now.

Kyoya imagined his father as a sleeping volcano. A crumbling building. A teapot set to boil. It wouldn't take much more before all hell broke loose.

"So," his father said as he rounded on Kyoya, the wrinkles in his face becoming fairly obvious by the shadows cast by the fire. "Not only do you feel the need to waste your time, and money, with that ridiculous Host Club, you feel as though you are devoid of responsibility to this family."

"Not at all, father." Kyoya responded. The business man within him broke loose. He spoke to his father as though he were a used car salesman pitching a deal. "Though the Host Club may cost a good deal of money, the relationships I've established with its customers are ones that will last m-"

"Don't you speak down to me, Kyoya Ootori!" the now fuming Yoshio screeched.

Kyoya's mouth shut tight, creating a thin line against his paling face.

"Don't you dare speak to me as if I don't know what goes on in that disgusting music room. I know damn well what kind of people you spend your time with, and they are by no means valuable to us, or you. Air headed girls running willy-nilly in that vile establishment you call a club. What good can come from that?"

Kyoya winced as his father screamed the question at him. Not knowing what to say, the terrified young man remained still and silent.

Apparently, this was the wrong thing to do.

Without warning, Kyoya found himself doubled over in pain as his father's fist sailed through the air and collided with his stomach. Kyoya fell to his knees as he wrapped his arms around his sides. His stomach was screaming!

A moment later, Yoshio knelt down on one knee in front of his son, a small smirk stretching across his face. The man cupped Kyoya's face in one hand, lifting his head so that the two were at eye level.

"So selfish…" he whispered.

"Stand up." the man ordered, standing up himself.

Kyoya slowly rose to his feet, pushing himself off the ground with shaky arms. He felt his father's warm hands grasp his shoulders. Kyoya looked up into his father's eyes as a searing pain spread through the left side of his face. The boy heard the lens in his glasses break as the frames collided with the hard floors.

"Now. How about you answer me when I'm speaking to you?"

Kyoya turned back to face his father, his shoulders still trapped in the man's steel grasp.

"Their parents could-"

"Could what, Kyoya? Buy our medicine? Visit our resorts? Go to our hospitals to take care of every unplanned pregnancy? Honestly, Kyoya I thought you were smarter than that."

Kyoya glared at his father. This, of course, earned him another smack in the face. This time on his right cheek.

"Remember who you're with, boy."

"And who is that, exactly?"

Kyoya watched as his father's eyes widened. He could feel the fingers tighten on his shoulders, pinching his skin beneath the fabric of his wrinkled uniform.

"How. Dare. You!" His father yelled, his hand colliding with Kyoya's reddening face with each word. "Who the hell do you think you are? You're a disgrace to this family! Nothing but a burden!"

The words had no effect on Kyoya. He had heard them all before. It was the slaps, punches, and kicks that hurt. All the walls he had built to protect himself couldn't save him from the physical blows he was enduring.

Kyoya fell to the floor, blood dripping from his nose and mouth, only to be picked up and thrown against the bookshelves. A high pitched ringing filled Kyoya's ears as stars exploded before his eyes, books falling around him as he slid to the floor.

Yoshio glared down at his son, his fists clenching as Kyoya attempted to stand. A quick kick to the groin ended that.

The man watched as Kyoya fell to his knees and wretched on the floor around him.

Yoshio turned to leave, only to feel a feeble hand grasp the cuff of his pants. The cold man looked down into his son's eyes, only to be met with a wave of emotion. Anger, hatred, embarrassment…distress?

The two continued to stare at each other, a look of disgust crossing the older Ootori's face. Kyoya's father could see the blood beginning to stain his son's white undershirt, though neither men could tell where exactly the blood came from. It seemed as though Kyoya was bleeding from every conceivable part of his body. Vomit was beginning to soak through the Ouran blazer, causing the fabric to stick against Kyoya's bruised and bloody torso.

Finally Yoshio kicked his son's hand from his cuff walking quickly towards the exit. He slammed the door behind him, not bothering to look back as Kyoya's head and hand fell with a soft _thump_ onto the hard floors.

_To be continued._


	11. Fuyumi's Find

Tamaki paced back and forth before the magnificent double doors that opened to the no longer abandoned music room. The frustrated blond never took his eyes off the doors. Not only was Tamaki acting strange, but he hadn't said a word all day. And his appearance was anything short of sloppy.

The anxious boy was anything but himself that day. His normally clear, happy blue eyes were shrouded in intense anxiety. The normally perfectly combed and shinning hair was disheveled and tangled looking, as if he hadn't bothered to comb it that morning. His uniform fared no better. Tamaki's tie was knotted crooked and pulled out in front of his blazer, which was wrinkled along the seams from the boy's constant tugging and pulling as he repeatedly wiped his clammy hands.

The rest of the Hosts watched as their King paced in front of him.

"What do you think is wrong with him?" Kaoru whispered to no one in particular.

"Who knows? He's been like this all day," his brother responded.

The twins looked at each other before calling over to their distressed friend.

"Hey boss," they called together.

"You better quit that pacing," Kaoru said.

"Yeah, you're going to scuff the floors," Hikaru finished.

Tamaki stopped in his tracks, turning his head to cast a weary look at the twins.

The little Devils gulped.

"Geez Boss, what's up with your face?" Hikaru asked rather rudely.

"Yeah, did you get any sleep last night?"

Tamaki lifted his hands to touch his worried face. His eyes were puffy and red, almost blood shot from his lack of sleep.

"Oh…" he muttered. "I didn't sleep well last night. Nothing to worry about, really." The boy insisted. His smile was tired and his voice was nothing like the usual chipper, sing song voice. It was dry and rough, as if it hadn't been used in a while.

An uncomfortable silence filled the room. The Hosts squirmed on the red velvet couch they all somehow occupied as Tamaki resumed his pacing.

"Um…sempai?" Haruhi asked nervously.

The "sempai" in questioned paused once more to look at his daughter. This, like everything else that day, was strange for Tamaki. Usually the boy would bound happily over to his little piglet, throwing his arms around the girl and cooing in her ear. Of course Haruhi was never a fan of this behavior, but at the moment nothing would have pleased her more.

"Where's Kyoya sempai?"

That was the question that had crossed everyone's mind at least once that day. Kyoya never missed a meeting, and he had certainly never missed a day of school. The Hosts held their breath as they awaited the answer. Mori could feel Hani's fingers grab in his hair as the Lolita's thighs clamped tightly to his shoulders.

Tamaki remained silent for a moment, unsure what to say.

"Um…well the thing is-"

The Hosts jumped as Tamaki's phone sprang to life. The boy dug through his trouser pockets and frantically pulled out his ringing cell phone. His eyes widened as Kyoya's name flashed on the front screen.

"Kyoya! Mon ami, where on earth-"

Tamaki's sentence was cut short as a shaking voice on the other line spoke quickly, frantically, her words tumbling over each other in a desperate attempt to explain a day's worth of events in as little time as possible.

The Hosts tensed as they watched the King's eyes grow wide, his hands shaking as he held the cell phone to his ear.

Tamaki's eyes darkened as he closed his cell phone with a _snap_.

The room remained silent. Nobody was sure what to do. What to say.

"Tama-chan…?" Hani's small voice broke the silence.

Without warning Tamaki turned and ran, bursting through the double doors and leaving the rest of the Hosts sitting dumbfounded on the red velvet couch.

_Earlier that day…_

Fuyumi awoke that morning to an uneasy silence. The sun glistened through her brother's sheer curtains, falling on her sparkling onyx eyes as she sat up on the couch. She hadn't slept well that night, but she chalked it up to sleeping on her little brother's couch and not her own bed. Fuyumi had stayed the night the past few days in an attempt to break through Kyoya's walls and find out what was really going on. She was only slightly annoyed when the boy had failed to show for the second time in a row.

Fuyumi stifled a yawn as she stretched her sore joints. The room was cold. Too cold for her taste. Drawing her knees to her chest, Fuyumi looked around her brother's room. Everything was neat and organized, his clothes folded neatly and stuffed back in his drawers after Fuyumi's expedition to the bottom of his dresser. She had always found it strange how organized Kyoya was.

Sighing to herself, Fuyumi braced herself against the cold as she made her way to the adjoining bathroom. After turning on the shower head and stripping off her clothes, the thin young woman examined herself in the large mirror above the bathroom's marble countertop. Her hair was a rat's nest and falling out of the sloppy ponytail she had slept in, but other than that Fuyumi was a picturesque beauty. The young woman wasn't vain, but she did like to keep herself looking good. Her ivory pale skin gleamed in the fluorescents as she ran a hand down her thin frame. Fuyumi's raven hair fell just above her perfectly rounded breasts as she dropped the hair tie onto her pile of clothes and made her way to the shower.

Fuyumi stepped out of the steamy bathroom, a towel snaking around her slender body and raven hair. She sat back down on Kyoya's couch, looking at the clock that sat on the desk by one of the elegant windows. The clock beeped as its screen flashed twelve o'clock in the afternoon. Fuyumi sighed. She hadn't planned to stay there all day, but it looked like that's what she would have to do. Kyoya wouldn't be home from school until later that evening.

After pulling on her clothes, Fuyumi busied herself by reorganizing Kyoya's room. It wasn't long before she became bored of this. How do you perfect perfection? She made her way down the marble staircase to explore the rest of the house, greeting the maids and butlers as the passed. After all, opening doors and exploring the mysterious halls behind them seemed to be the best way to spend the afternoon.

Fuyumi stopped outside a pair of double doors in the center of a long, carpeted hallway. It had been years since she had been inside her father's study. Fuyumi stood outside the doors for a moment, wondering if it would be alright for her to enter such a private room. Her father had always been very possessive of his privacy.

Finally, curiosity got the best of her and Fuyumi slowly opened one of the double doors. Her hand shot to cover her nose as a rancid smell assaulted her senses. Fuyumi stepped inside the room, closing the door behind her as she looked around the room for the source of the smell. Her eyes fell on a large mound on the floor, unable to see it clearly due to the shadows that consumed the room. Feeling her way towards her father's desk, the now frightened girl reached towards the lamp that rested in the corner of the room.

As a soft light glowed from within the lamp, Fuyumi took a moment to compose herself before rounding on the seemingly unknown mound on the floor.

Fuyumi's eyes widened as her hands flew to stifle the scream that threatened to escape her pale lips. Falling to her knees, Fuyumi crawled towards her brother's crippled form. His eyes were closed, his shallow breath reeking of blood and vomit.

"K-Kyoya…" She whispered as she reached towards her little brother. Fuyumi continued whispering his name as she gently shook the fragile looking boy before her. She was becoming desperate. After a few moments Fuyumi began shaking her brother violently, lifting his head and resting it gently in her lap. A look of disgust crossed her face as she wiped the vomit from the side of his face.

_Calm down, Fuyumi. Getting worked up won't solve anything._

Taking a moment to compose herself, Fuyumi reached into her pocket, searching for her cell phone.

"Damn it." She hissed as she realized she had left her phone resting in her bag. A thought hit her as she began digging through her brother's pocket, pulling out a cell phone similar to her own.

She ignored the "Missed Call" sign that flashed on the screen as she frantically dialed one of her father's hospitals. Her eyes widened as a sudden realization hit her. Going to an Ootori establishment with a horribly maimed Ootori would certainly call for some explanation. No, she would have to settle for second best.

After calling for an ambulance, Fuyumi attempted to keep her mind busy. She gently stroked her brother's tangled hair, examining the many cuts and bruises that flawed his identical ivory skin. Running her shaking hands gently across his stomach, Fuyumi gasped as she felt the unusual lumps that were attempting to break through his skin.

_Are those his…ribs?_

Another thought crossed her mind as she reached for Kyoya's cell phone once more. Her heart beat violently in her chest as she looked through the list of missed calls. Tamaki must have called at least a hundred times. Pressing the "call" button, Fuyumi waited impatiently as the phone rang once, twice-

"Kyoya! Mon ami, where on earth-"

"Tamaki! Tamaki, listen to me I don't have much time-"

Fuyumi spoke quickly as the sound of sirens grew louder and louder.

"He's hurt, bad Tamaki. I don't know what happened, but there's a lot of blood and-"

Fuyumi was cut short as the line went dead. She was left alone in the cold room, cradling her broken brother as tears ran down her pale cheeks. All she could do now was wait.


	12. He Was Always A Dramatic Boy

Fuyumi sat quietly in the hospitals modest sized waiting room, tapping her foot impatiently as she waited for Tamaki to return. The two had been sitting there for what felt like days, though it had only been several hours. The sterile white walls of the room contrasted almost violently with the darkness that pressed against the small windows. Fuyumi became more and more impatient as she stared up at the waiting room's identical white ceiling. A sigh escaped her soft, pink lips as the quick _tap, tap, tap_ of Tamaki's shoes made its way towards her.

"They didn't have any creamer, so I used half and half. I hope that's okay." Fuyumi turned her head to see Tamaki's tired, but bright smile in front of her as he handed over the coffee he had bought from the cafeteria.

A tired smile crossed Fuyumi's lips as she took a sip from the steaming Styrofoam cup. The warmth seemed to reach to the very tips of her toes as she drank her coffee quickly.

"What time is it?" she asked after a few moments had passed between them.

Tamaki set his own cup on the floor as he dug through his pockets for his cell phone.

"Twelve thirty," he sighed. They had been there for quite some time now, neither of them bothering to contact their families. Fuyumi's already knew where she would be, and neither Tamaki's father nor grandmother was home to notice his absence.

The tired boy withdrew his cell phone once more as it vibrated to life. There was no point in looking who was calling. The twins had called several million times that evening, as had Haruhi and Hani-sempai. Even Mori had called once. But Tamaki ignored their calls, not wanting to worry them. Kyoya wouldn't have wanted that…

"You really should answer them..." Tamaki jumped, having forgotten the Ootori that sat right next to him.

"Yeah…" he replied, staring down at his phone until its vibrations died for the final time.

The two sat in silence for a while. Both were exhausted from the rush of emotions and the rush to the hospital, Tamaki having run almost the entire way there until his limo caught up to him. Fuyumi's bloodshot eyes closed slowly, her head tilting forward then jerking up as she fought fatigue.

"Fuyumi," Tamaki began. Fuyumi turned her head once more to face the boy next to her.

"Yes, Tamaki?" she asked. The silence engulfed them once more. The only sound that could be heard in the room was the soft hum of the television and the occasional ear piercing squeak from the doctors' shoes as they rushed to and fro behind closed doors.

"What…what happened?" Tamaki choked out the words that had been stuck in the back of his throat for the entirety of that evening. Words that had been eating at the back of his mind, but he had been too afraid to speak.

Fuyumi looked down at the empty cup as she began to recount in full detail what she had come across that afternoon in her father's study.

As Fuyumi was telling her tail to the curious boy beside her, another boy down the hall was asleep, blissfully unaware of the war that was being fought just below his neckline.

Hours before, the doctors had rushed Kyoya Ootori down the sterile white halls on a stretcher, watching with much apprehension as their patient's eyes rolled back in his head.

"Doctor!" a nurse cried. "He's unstable; we have to get him to the Emergency room!"

The doors of the E.R. burst open as the young man was rolled from the bustling halls, his shirt being quickly and sloppily cut from his broken body. The nurses felt up and down the young man's torso as they informed the doctors of the areas needing immediate attention.

"Several broken ribs on his left side as well as on his right, severe bruising just above the pelvic…" the list went on. The nurse's eyes widened as the dark haired boy below her coughed and shuddered, blood flying from his mouth.

"Doctor, we have internal bleeding!" she cried frantically, injecting an I.V. into the boy's right arm.

Though chaos ensued down the hall, Fuyumi and Tamaki sat quietly in the hospital's waiting room.

Tamaki's eyes remained locked on his feet as Fuyumi finished her horrific tale.

"Well," the boy said, lifting his arms high above his head in a dramatic stretch. "it's a good thing you were there. Who knows what would have happened if you hadn't called for an ambulance."

Fuyumi looked at Tamaki with wide eyes. She was shocked at the nonchalance in the boy's voice.

"Yep, if you weren't there, Fuyumi, Kyoya would probably be dead now," he continued, a crazed look coming over him. Tamaki stood quickly and began pacing back in forth in front of the scared girl before him.

"Not that that's not possible now. Hell, next time maybe we'll be lucky and your father will just club Kyoya with a brick. That would save us all a lot of trouble don't you think? After all, who gives a damn about him, he just works his ass off to please your father, keep the club going, and on top of that keep up an impressive image for his daddy. Wouldn't want to shame him, now would we?" By now Tamaki was in hysterics.

"Tamaki…" Fuyumi said quietly, her shaking hands holding each other tightly below her nose.

"Yep, Kyoya deserves nothing short of a good ass beating, a good kick in the crotch if you catch my drift. Good thing dear old dad was there to lend him a helping hand. Good thing your father was there to-" Tamaki was cut short as Fuyumi's palm met his cheek, a loud slap echoing through the empty room. Tamaki's eyes widened as he fell in a heap to the floor. The boy began sobbing loudly, tears falling to the floor and landing his clenched fists.

Fuyumi fell beside him, pulling the boy into a tight embrace. Tears fell quietly from her eyes as she rocked Tamaki back and forth on the cold, white floors. She began humming quietly, though she wasn't sure what it was she was humming. It was a song so full of sadness it nearly broke one's heart to hear it.

Tamaki's sobs quieted down as he listened to the song. It was a song he had played for Kyoya once. A song his mother would sing to him as a young boy. Tamaki pulled away and sat on his knees in front of the now quiet Fuyumi.

"S-sorry," he mumbled, wiping the tears furiously from his eyes. What had come over him?

"Don't apologize," Fuyumi said gently. She had never expected that kind of reaction from the Host King, but she was glad it had happened. Fuyumi had always hated how Kyoya was so drawn in and cold, seeing Tamaki had been almost relieving to her.

Tamaki crawled over and sat next to Fuyumi, his back against the red chairs lining the walls of the room they had become so well aquatinted with. The two sat there in silence, a few quiet tears falling from their identically sad eyes.

The boy fought off the exhaustion that crept over his body for as long as possible finally giving himself up to the calming darkness that lived in the very back of his tired eyes. Soon however, Tamaki found himself being shaken awake by a very tired, but very excited looking Fuyumi.

"Tamaki? Tamaki," she said softly. "Tamaki…Kyoya would like to see you now."

_To be continued._


	13. Soft Edit

Kyoya swam in an ocean of sterility. The walls, blankets, and beeping machines surrounding him were all an identically clean and identically white color. It would have been unnerving had he not been half delirious from the anesthesia the nurses had given him before his surgery.

The raven haired boy winced as a sharp pain shot through his side as he propped himself up in the bed. He sat quietly, racking his brains for the memories that evaded him from the previous night. Not only had he forgotten what had happened to him, he couldn't even remember why it had happened. The only thing the youngest Ootori could remember was the pain. That and a looming figure that he had already assumed was his father. Who else could do such damage?

Kyoya's head shot up as every detail from the night before flooded back to him. Each painful moment was seen clearly in his mind's eye as the boy recounted everything from waking up with Tamaki to passing out in his father's study. The boy's head fell once more, his finger resting between his slightly pink teeth as he began filing through the limited excuses he had left to use. Suddenly his eyes brightened. Leaning carefully to the side, Kyoya picked up the school uniform that rested in the drawer of his bedside table. The boy smiled as he began reading the note he had shoved in his pocket the day before.

Tamaki's elegant, almost feminine script filled the page. The boy had written a song. A song for Kyoya. Kyoya felt his eyes water as he read the beautiful lyrics before him, ignoring the footsteps that grew louder and louder with each passing second.

Tamaki was making his way quickly down the hospital's empty halls, his footsteps echoing with each step on the hard marble floors. The boy skid to a halt outside his friend's room, panting hard as he lifted a shaky hand towards the handle.

The door creaked open as the nervous blond stepped into the quiet room. Kyoya's raven hair stood out sharply against the surrounding white walls. Tamaki stood quietly by the door, unsure of what to do next. It certainly wasn't his first time in a hospital. His mother had been in and out of the doctor's office for most of his childhood, so he had grown accustomed to the sights and smells of hospitals and their patients. However he had never been in a situation like this. Tamaki was terrified.

Kyoya hadn't heard his friend's entrance having been caught up in his own thoughts. The two boys remained where they were, completely silent and unmoving. Finally, Tamaki cleared his throat, announcing his presence. Kyoya's eyes drifted up from the note and towards the door, his head slowly following suit. Tamaki took in the boy's appearance, stiffening slightly as he looked up and down his friend's torso.

It was worse than before. There were countless bruises standing out against the pale boy's now swollen skin, though most of them were hidden behind the bandages that were wrapped tightly around Kyoya's rib cage. Black stitches that had been sewn into the boy's ivory flesh poked out from beneath the dressings, making him look almost like a ragdoll. Dark blood crusted around the healing wounds, staining Kyoya's once flawless skin. Even the bandages had a pink tinge to them.

Tamaki tore his eyes away as Kyoya leaned back towards the table to slide the note back into the drawer, only to wince against the pain that tore through his body.

"Ah! Kyoya, be careful!" Tamaki cried as he rushed to his friend's side. "Mon ami, you can't move around so much, you could tear out your stitches." Tamaki pushed the boy back gently by the shoulders, holding him in place with his shaking hands.

"Don't be so dramatic, Tamaki." Kyoay slurred. Even a half delirious Ootori had more sense than the boy beside him. "The beds here are so damn uncomfortable…"

Kyoya brushed Tamaki off of him as he sat up once more, though he did so much slower this time.

"Hand me those pillows, please Tamaki. And stop looking at me like that." Kyoya said calmly, pointing at the linen closet across the room.

Tamaki rushed back to the bed, having picked up every possible pillow he could find within the closet. Kyoya concealed a smile as he watched his friend frantically shove the over-stuffed pillows behind his back. Tamaki was always so dramatic.

The nervous boy stood beside the bed, staring down at Kyoya with sad, worried eyes.

"Um…" Tamaki fought to speak, but nothing came to mind. Nothing he said could possibly relieve the discomfort the boy felt.

"Well?" Kyoya asked, cocking an eyebrow at his friend in distress.

"Well what?" Tamaki asked, slightly startled at his friend's somewhat abrasive tone. What was wrong with him? It wasn't like Tamaki to feel so awkward, so…naked. Yes, that was the perfect word. Tamaki felt naked. Kyoya's knowing eyes seemed to see right through him. No! _Into_ him. As if every emotion the boy felt was written clearly across his face.

"Aren't you going to sit down?"

"Oh! Right…" Tamaki blushed furiously as he turned his back to Kyoya, searching the room for an extra chair. The boy began walking towards a small chair that sat beside the linen closet, only to stop dead in his tracks at what he heard next.

"What exactly do you think you're doing?"

Kyoya's cool, lazy voice struck a chord in Tamaki as he turned back towards the boy in the bed. Kyoya had his arms resting under his head, his eyes closed and a small smirk rested on his pale lips.

"Sitting down?" It was more of a question than a statement, but Tamaki _was_ slightly confused.

Kyoya sighed. "Not over there you're not. Come here, Tamaki."

Tamaki stayed where he was, frozen in place. Had he heard correctly? The blushing blond stumbled back towards the bed, sitting down delicately at Kyoya's feet.

Kyoya opened his eyes, looking coldly at Tamaki, who was trying very hard to control the bright shade of red his face had turned.

"Tamaki, you're not going to break me." Kyoya sighed. "You can sit closer."

Tamaki's blush enhanced as he scooted, almost comically, towards the head of the bed. When he was within reach, Kyoya snatched Tamaki's arm in a firm grip, and pulled the blond close to him. Tamaki toppled over, his head colliding with Kyoya's chest and his shoulder drilling into the boy's ribs. The boy's eyes widened as he looked up at his friend. Kyoya's eyes were closed tight, unsuccessfully fighting back the tears that fell down his cheeks. His mouth was clamped shut as a grunt escaped the boy's throat.

"Kyoya! Kyoya I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to-"

Tamaki's sentence was cut short as Kyoya pressed his lips firmly against the baffled blond. Kyoya could feel Tamaki's body relax as the boy became lost in the kiss, drawing him into a tight, but delicate, embrace. The two finally pulled apart, their breath mingling between them as Tamaki edged himself closer to Kyoya.

The boys shared a soft smile. Tamaki's head was nuzzled under Kyoya's chin with his arm draped across his pelvice, though the boy was weary of his friend's condition and kept himself at a distance. This proved too much for Kyoya who pulled the boy even closer, a small gasp escaping his lips as Tamaki's elbow met with the stitches in his side. Tamaki attempted to scoot towards the edge of the bed, but Kyoya's grip tightened around the boy's lower back.

Tamaki sighed. "Mon ami, don't be so stubborn. You're in no condition to-"

"To what?" Kyoya asked, an almost lustful undertone hid in his question.

"To make a move, mon amour." Tamaki whispered the last phrase in Kyoya's ear, sending a shiver down the Ootori's spine.

_Since when was I his _love_, _Kyoya thought astounded, though his face remained quiet, almost loving.

Kyoya lifted Tamaki's chin once more, his lips yearning for the blonde's lush, pink mouth. Just as the distance between the two was about to close, the room's door burst open. Tamaki's eyes flew open as the boy toppled over the side of the bed, a surprised cry escaping his still puckered lips. Fuyumi looked around the tower of boxes she was carrying.

"Is everything alright?" She asked slightly confused.

"Yes, Fuyumi, everything is just fine." Kyoya replied calmly, muffling a groan as his muscles screamed at him for sitting up in the bed.

A smile graced Fuyumi's flushed face as she made her way towards Kyoya's bedside table. Tamaki peeked above the bed's corner as the older Ootori set the pink boxes down on the table.

"What's all this?" he asked.

"You wouldn't believe how early the bakery opens! Six in the morning and they already have their racks full." Fuyumi said excitedly as she opened box after box of sweet smelling pastries.

Kyoya sighed. "Fuyumi, you know I hate sweets."

Fuyumi smiled through a face full of doughnut. "Don't worry, Kyoya, I wasn't completely thoughtless." Kyoya watched as his sister began searching through the identical pink boxes, finally pulling one out of the pile. Kyoya opened the box his sister handed him, a slight pout crossing his face as he pulled out the plain doughnuts.

The boy looked over at Tamaki, who was busy stuffing his face with every possible doughnut, Danish, and muffin he could get his hands on.

_He must be starving. _Kyoya thought._ Hasn't he eaten anything?_

Tamaki set down his sweets as he dug through his pocket, pulling out his vibrating cell phone. The boy sighed as he flicked open the phone.

"Hello?"

"Boss!"

"There you are!"

"Do you know how long we've been trying to call you?"

"We thought you died or something!"

Tamaki's ears were assaulted by the excited shouts of the two very thrilled twins.

"Oh…yeah. Sorry about that." Tamaki said, rubbing the back of his head shyly.

Kyoya watched the boy, a bored expression on his face as he bit into the tasteless pastry.

"Well?"

"Well what?" Tamaki asked. He really was an idiot.

"What the hell happened?"

"Yeah Boss, you just ran off the other day. We were all pretty worried."

Tamaki sighed as he looked over to Kyoya who sat calmly in the bed, awaiting an explanation.

"It's the twins," Tamaki mouthed, pointing to the phone.

Kyoya arched a brow.

"Perhaps it would be easier if they stopped by?" the boy offered.

Tamaki and Fuyumi shared a concerned glance. Neither had expected that.

"A-are you sure?" Fuyumi asked nervously.

Kyoya nodded, his arms crossing gently in front of him. "They'll find out eventually, and the earlier we explain ourselves the easier it will be to quiet any possible rumors…"

Tamaki nodded, stepping out into the hallway as he gave the twins directions to the hospital.

"Kyoya…" Fuyumi began, sitting herself down on the floor beside the bed.

"You'll hear the explanation at the same time as everyone else, Fuyumi." Kyoya continued eating his doughnut, ignoring his sister's anxious glance.

"I was really scared you know."

Silence.

"Tamaki and I have been here since the ambulance brought you. Neither of us slept much…"

"Fuyumi," Kyoya began in a monotonous voice. But the boy was muffled by his sister's coat as she threw her arms around her brother's neck, tears streaming down her pale cheeks.

Kyoya gasped, causing his sister to stumble backwards. Apologies spilled from the older Ootori as Kyoya caressed his sore neck muscles, the uneaten doughnut still clamped between his fingers.

The boy sighed. "Fuyumi, don't you think you're being a bit overdramatic?"

The girl in question frowned even more as she sat back down on the hard tiled floor. The two sat in silence, the question lingering in the air between them.

After having made phone calls to the rest of the Hosts, some not being too thrilled at the early wake up call, Tamaki returned to the room with a very tired expression on his face. The blond was still exhausted.

"Well?" Kyoya asked.

This time, Tamaki knew what he meant. "They're all on their way." He said, a tired smile resting on his similarly tired face. This didn't go unnoticed by the youngest Ootori, who set the doughnut back in the box, carefully setting it down on the bedside table.

"Tamaki, why don't you rest for a while? You look tired." Fuyumi suggested.

Tamaki looked around the room. "Yeah, good idea…"

The boy watched as Kyoya winced as he moved himself over, patting a spot on the bed beside him. Tamaki's eyes widened as he looked between the two Ootori's.

"What's wrong Tamaki? You didn't think I'd let you sleep in a chair did you?" Kyoya's face lit up at his friend's expression, a laugh escaping his smiling lips.

Fuyumi looked up at his brother curiously. Was he…laughing?

Tamaki slowly made his way over to the bed, sliding awkwardly into the spot Kyoya had opened up for him. It was hard to ignore the curious looks Fuyumi kept passing him, but eventually the boy was able to settle into a comfortable enough position and nod off. Eventually Kyoya too nodded off, his head resting against Tamaki's, whose head rested on his shoulder.

Fuyumi smiled. It had been a long time since she heard Kyoya's laugh. She didn't think she would ever hear it again, especially since her father began drinking again.

The girl rested her head against the bed, closing her eyes against the soft white lights. There was so much she was thankful for at that moment. The silence, her brother's safety, his laugh, his smile, none of which seemed possible just hours before. Yes, she was incredibly thankful for her brother's smile. But most of all, she was thankful for the boy who caused it.


End file.
